L.A. Confidential

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L.A. Confidential

R

1997

2h 16m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

99%

Tomatometer

165 Reviews

94%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Three policemen, each with his own motives and obsessions, tackle the corruption surrounding an unsolved murder at a downtown Los Angeles coffee shop in the early 1950s. Detective Lieutenant Exley (Guy Pearce), the son of a murdered detective, is out to avenge his father's killing. The ex-partner of Officer White (Russell Crowe), implicated in a scandal rooted out by Exley, was one of the victims. Sergeant Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) feeds classified information to a tabloid magnate (Danny DeVito).

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Critics Consensus

Taut pacing, brilliantly dense writing and Oscar-worthy acting combine to produce a smart, popcorn-friendly thrill ride.

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Ella Taylor

L.A. Weekly

10/20/2021

A masterfully smart and soulful film that bows low before genre even as it betrays it.

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Jay Carr

Boston Globe

10/20/2021

4/4

One of the things the film conveys, in addition to institutionalized corruption, is the energy and excitement of a city that knows it's on the move. L.A. Confidential is juicy dynamite.

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David Stratton

At the Movies (Australia)

10/19/2021

4.5/5

Dante Spinotti's widescreen camerawork and Jeannine Oppewall`s production design brilliantly recreate the somewhat tawdry world of a glamorous city which is starting to lose its glamour.

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Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

Jul 6

4/4

...with great skill telling several interwoven narratives that expose corruption, venality, and murder with compelling twists and turns that will leave the audience riveted until its closing frame.

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Dimitris Passas

PopMatters

11/28/2023

L.A. Confidential‘s representation of a long-gone era in Los Angeles is exemplary, and the 1950s are enlivened on screen in an accurate and opulent manner.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

03/08/2023

4.5/5

The flawless ensemble..., the masterfully written story, the vibrant yet gritty vision of 1950s LA - most everything clicks in this fittingly cynical and undeniably seductive period crime thriller that still maintains its style and sizzle.

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豹抱

@ActivationB 5d

Rollo Tomasi, the best Deathrattle in cinematic history lol

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Eli H

@EliHendricks Jan 6

Beautifully shot and arguably the true best picture of 1997. The tight script does rush to the finish in the last thirty minutes and the final shot is a little bit of a cop out, but it makes up for it by being a great watch and *Spoilers!* shooting Kevin Spacey.

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Will G

@Kingofthepixies Dec 26

Just about the perfect movie. If it can be improved anywhere please let me know.

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Thomas D

@Thom1967 Dec 20

Even better than the J. Ellroy novel. That says something ! Very, very close to be the perfect movie… acting, action, story and all the rest… all is fantastic ! One of my all times favourites

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Jey D

Dec 3

Everything I want from a neo-noir, detective thriller.

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Ray C

Dec 1

I'll have to watch L.A. Confidential again at some point because I just don't get why it's so critically acclaimed. Yes, it does feature an amazing cast portraying complex characters, and I love the way it displays Los Angeles in the 50s. But the story moves at a slow pace and can feel predictable at times. I didn't find the ending to be particularly satisfying and was overall disappointed with the movie. I'm hoping my score goes up on rewatch, but for now it was definitely a letdown.

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Curtis Hanson

Director

Kevin Spacey

Jack Vincennes

Russell Crowe

Officer Wendell 'Bud' White

Guy Pearce

Det. Lt. Edmund Jennings Exley

James Cromwell

Capt. Dudley Liam Smith

David Strathairn

Pierce Morehouse Patchett

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84%

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Synopsis

Three policemen, each with his own motives and obsessions, tackle the corruption surrounding an unsolved murder at a downtown Los Angeles coffee shop in the early 1950s. Detective Lieutenant Exley (Guy Pearce), the son of a murdered detective, is out to avenge his father's killing. The ex-partner of Officer White (Russell Crowe), implicated in a scandal rooted out by Exley, was one of the victims. Sergeant Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) feeds classified information to a tabloid magnate (Danny DeVito).

Director: Curtis Hanson
Producer: Michael G. Nathanson, Arnon Milchan, Curtis Hanson
Screenwriter: Curtis Hanson, James Ellroy, Brian Helgeland
Distributor: Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Brothers, Regency Enterprises
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 19, 1997, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 12, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $64.6M
Runtime: 2h 16m
Sound Mix: Surround, DTS, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Scope (2.35:1)

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